The future of nightlife? It’s going to be raw, euphoric and desynchronised

There’s no doubt that the return to clubbing is going to be life-affirming. Millions of people across the globe have sorely missed the dancefloor experience during the pandemic, and they’ll be stepping into venues with reinvigorated passion and appreciation – as well as radically shifted perspectives on work and pleasure. We are, potentially, about to enter a thrilling new chapter in cultural history.

“People have been limited in their liberties for more than a year and they will want to make up for the time lost,” said Brice Coudert, a Paris-based music curator, during his interview for a new nightlife report entitled Reality Remixed – The Future of Conviviality. ​“Most of all, I think that now, everybody is particularly understanding the role of culture, music, parties, clubs, festivals in our lives. I really think the atmosphere on the dancefloors is gonna be at another level in terms of intensity and vibe.”

In collaboration with The Cultural Foresights team at Pernod Ricard (a team of anthropologists who focus on the future of socialising) and published via THE FACE and Mixmag, Reality Remixed – The Future of Conviviality is an in-depth report on the future of nightlife, for which over 50 industry figures (including DJs, artist managers, promoters, curators, digital developers and representatives of nightlife industry associations) were interviewed.

In a section called New Places – The Return of The DIY Spirit, the report also suggests that the new era could see an increase in demand for more raw party locations – think apartment roofs, car parks and back yards – as opposed to the slick and luxurious experience you’ll find in megaclubs found in cities across the USA. ​“We all spent a long period of time within the same space, our homes,” says RONI, a DJ in Paris. ​“So I feel people will seek out different kinds of spaces and a change of scenery, whether it’s sizes or mood or decor. People will also want outdoor venues as they will in the beginning feel more secure gathering outside.”

Lockdowns have also completely revolutionised how people think of their leisure time – while many would have waited ​’til the sun goes down to dance to a hard-hitting techno set, that’s no longer the case. ​“People have had all of the signifiers of what their day is meant to be, and the delineation of the day, completely upended,” says Charlotte Brohier, the Cultural Foresight Planner at Pernod Ricard, in a section called Disruption of the Clock.

A sense of global connectivity has been nurtured during the pandemic by livestreamed DJ sets, attracting audiences in many different time zones. ​“It’s amazing that I can watch someone play in São Paolo, sitting at my home in Almaty,” says Kazakhstan DJ Nazira. So now, it doesn’t seem all that strange to check out a party if you can clock off at 3 pm on a Wednesday, or to spend Saturday night clearing your desk in order to rave all day Sunday. Welcome to the new world of desynchronised nightlife.

Pernod Ricard believes the core of conviviality occurs through responsible consumption